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By Ministry of Agriculture Communication Team
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has embraced the RICOWAS rice project, a significant initiative to expand rice production in Liberia. The project, valued at US$14 million, is funded by the Adaptation Fund (AF) and implemented across 13 West African countries by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS). This regional institution supports member states in promoting the sustainable management of their natural resources in a particularly disadvantageous climate change context, of which Liberia is the latest member.
The Minister’s remarks were made during a meeting with a high-level OSS delegation on its initial visit to the country following Liberia’s recent membership.
Exuding optimism, Dr. Nuetah stated that the RICOWAS project, which aims to cultivate over 2,500 hectares of lowland for rice production in Liberia, would significantly contribute to achieving the 50,000-hectare target set in the National Agriculture Development Plan. To be met in five years, this benchmark aims to increase domestic rice production, reduce the country’s reliance on rice imports, enhance food security, and boost the local economy.
“When I see 2,741 hectares, I feel that I can reduce my 50,000 hectares by that amount. That means those hectares will be developed fully with the appropriate water system where possible so that these farmers will not only produce one cycle but two or even three cycles annually, depending on the water supply, ” the minister beamed confidently.
Dr. Nuetah also asked the OSS team to explore the possibility of investing in other crops, thereby diversifying the project’s impact and ensuring a more comprehensive approach to agricultural development, which could significantly broaden the project’s reach and impact.
“We are looking at food security first, but we are also looking at other areas that would support income generation. I would be happy if you could also go deeper into our plan to see different areas beyond rice where we could collaborate.
The delegation’s head, Mr. Nabil Ben Kharta, said the purpose of their first visit to Liberia was to explain the OSS’s support for Liberian institutions, mainly the Ministry of Agriculture, and to identify new ways of collaboration through which the OSS could support Liberia in implementing its National Agriculture Development Plan. This support includes providing technical expertise, sharing best practices in sustainable development and climate-smart agriculture, and facilitating access to resources for reinforcing resilience and adaptation to climate change.
“As you know, climate change is impacting agriculture in Africa. In some places, climate change is presented as drought, while we have floods in other regions. The mission’s objective is to provide the local population with new tools and present new techniques for growing rice with very little water. In flood situations, we can also store water to get two to three harvests a year.”
He also stressed that the OSS strategies are tailored to meet Liberia’s specific needs and challenges and, more importantly, that they will be aligned with the National Agriculture Development Plan.
“It is also important to be in line with the national strategies; that’s why we are working together and have a copy of your strategy. Whatever we do will be completely in line with your objectives, which will contribute to the implementation of the strategy.”
The RICOWAS project is a regional initiative launched by ECOWAS last year to improve rice yield within the sub-region using climate-smart agriculture rice production techniques. Its main objective is to enhance climate resilience and increase the productivity of the rice system of smallholder rice farmers across the region using a climate-resilient rice production approach.
Six counties in Liberia, including Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Bomi, Montserrado, and Grand Gedeh, have been earmarked for the project, and the OSS has begun mapping these areas.
